Southampton manager Ronald Koeman is delighted to have captured the Republic of Ireland international and believes he will compliment fellow new signing Graziano Pelle up front.

"Shane is a very good player. As a striker, he's different to Graziano Pelle, which is something we needed," Koeman told the club's official website.

"He brings ambition and a great mentality -- he's always running and always working, and he's very down-to-earth. He's a great person, and we need that type of player.

"He brings a lot of experience to our squad because he's already played at Premier League level for a few years. He knows what we need at this level, and he can show that to our younger players as well.

"Shane will be an important player for us and our future."

Long, who could make his Southampton debut in Sunday's Premier League opener at Liverpool, is equally thrilled to have arrived at St Mary's.

"I'm delighted. This came out of the blue for me, but once I'd come and had a look at the training facilities and met the manager, it seemed like the right decision for me and my family," he said.

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"It was a hard decision for me to make, but when you come down to Southampton you see how big a club it is and how well set up it is.

"You look at how well they did last season and they are developing a new squad for this year to try and achieve those accomplishments again, and hopefully I can be a big part of that.

"Southampton play a brand of football that's enjoyable to watch, and I'm sure it'll be enjoyable to play in as well. I think the formation they play will suit me, and the manager has a lot of knowledge about football and I'm looking to learn off him.

"In theory it's a very good move for me, but all the hard work starts tomorrow when I get on the training pitch because I have to prove my worth."

Long is Koeman's sixth signing of the summer and will be expected to help fill the shoes of striker Rickie Lambert, who left for Liverpool earlier this summer.